A vigil to remember those who lost their lives because of gun violence took place last week at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.

Marshall Frank

Bob Barnes is right on the mark in his guest column. Recent generations of poorly parented kids have now grown to become parents themselves, with only their inept parents for role models. Fatherless teen moms, open drug use in the home, disregard for moral standards have become the norm, and then we blame teachers and schools for poor performance in schools. Society in the 21st century has transformed from a system of order and basic standards of behavior, to "if it feels good, do it." We should focus on providing quality training and education to youth parents and parents-to-be. More attention to issues that Mr. Barnes brings to light is needed.

Liz Mikitarian

He "gets it!" I do not blame parents. I believe we should offer programming and support to help them become better.

Richard Charbonneau

Excellent points in Bob Barnes' column: "With few exceptions, good parents make good students and schools. Crummy parents make just the opposite. It is a mistake to focus on the performance of teachers."

My comment is what parents? Most are absentee parents with 50 percent from a divorced home or a home where material goods are so important, both parents are working and the kid is left to be raised by a teacher who only sees the kid an hour a day. If the kid fails, all of a sudden it's the teacher's fault? Notice to parents: Teachers can only "tune up" the kids you sent them; they can't rebuild them! The building is your job, a job that can't be abdicated.

Letter: "Rational gun control doesn't deny anyone's rights"

Karen Berman

I have yet to see one proposed gun control law that would have stopped any of the mass shootings we've seen.

Paul Friel

The problem is you don't have to provide legal documentation in 40 percent of gun sales. Why is it conservatives want to change the requirements for things you claim are broken, like voting, yet when it comes to the fact that (rules for) buying a gun are obviously broken, as I can buy one in any yard sale, flea market or gun show, you don't want any more regulation on the purchase. They're both rights afforded you by the Constitution, yet you don't want universal background checks? ... Why do you want the government intruding into women's lives if they want a Supreme Court-protected abortion?

Matthew Wolfe

With all due respect, (the letter writer) is slightly off base. National gun control, as the writer suggests, actually goes against the Constitution. Perhaps you've heard of the 14th Amendment? The other problem is that nobody to date has put forth reasonable, effective gun control laws. It's all been feel-good fluff.

Editorial, "Scarred states leading on guns"

Timothy Woodard

Look at the accounts of mass shootings by mentally unstable kids and adults. Not one of those guns was stolen. They were bought legally with no effective verification of mental health, or they were bought by straw purchasers, which is a crime that is not punished effectively because of NRA lobbying.

Peter Fusscas

Timothy Woodard, name one mental health test that can be administered that will determine who is a murderer and who is not. But if identification of murderers is possible, why are people still being killed? If laws against murder and suicide do not prevent them from happening, why will laws against guns prevent them from not being used to commit murder and suicide? If suicide is identifiable and treatable, why do so many people commit suicide? Do you really think that by taking guns out of the hands of a suicidal person, they will not jump off a bridge or OD on drugs? ... It is always hard to address the root causes of problems, but until you do, they will not go away, no matter how much you wish they would.

Dave Barton

Background checks are performed on all firearm purchases through licensed dealers. The problem lies with those with mental health issues. One should be restricted from purchasing or owning firearms if deemed a danger to themselves or others by their doctor or while taking psychotropic medication. In addition, we need to eliminate gun-free zones. Gun-free zones place more people in danger by eliminating the ability to defend yourself from attack.